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Day With Sandovals

I was coming back from Chile Wildfire Relief Camp in Portezuelo to Santiago. As formality, I dropped a text to Dr Daniela Sandoval with whom I had worked in relief camp. She invited me to her home in Chillan (read Chiyan) which was on my way. I had no other obligation so I decided to stay one night at her house.

I reached Chillan in the afternoon and sent a text Daniela. She was in the hospital and asked me to wait for some time, till she finishes her work in the hospital. I wanted to buy a Chilean mobile so I went to a mall.

She came well in advance of schedule time to pick up me. She has big car and it is difficult to find suitable parking for car. She parked it long. She was walking towards parking and I was following her with my two sacks of 24kg each. Then she took me around the city for ride.

Chile and India have similarities or they have always competition of recurring disasters. There is always fire or earthquake in Chile and in India there is always fire, earthquake, stampedes in one or anthoer temples. In 1939, there was worst earthquake of 8.3 magnitude in Chile in which most of the Chile was demolished.

Dr Daniela with her colleague doctor at Egg-shaped church in Chillan, Chile

Then onwards they have changed the design of construction. Daniela showed me on such structure. It was a church which was constructed after the earthquake. It shape is like egg and it is earthquake proof.

Egg shaped church in Chillan

Then we went to her house, it is a big farm house with three bedrooms and with big garden. There were several types of apple trees and other fruits trees. She took me around her garden and I tasted fruits of each tree. And I was full.

Her mother Soledad a brave and beautiful lady was waiting for me. She was surrounded by several dogs, I was afraid of them. When I reached she gave me hug and I kissed on her right chick which is tradition of Chile.

with Daniela’s dog. This is second dog, i have touched after ‘notorious’ Hari of my friend who bite on my thumb when we were making Hari head down.

Soledad was cooking humitas which is traditional Chilean dish. I tried my hands on it. I made few OMITAS. Till we make packing of humitas in corn leaves, her mother cooked few of them for dinner. After dinner Daniela took me for ride. I wanted to buy tickets to Santiago so we went to railway station but railways were not suitable for my timings. So, I chose to go by bus.

Making homitas

It is more than a year and I had not done medical check up. My doctor has asked me to do it. So, I requested Daniela and got her gadgets. She did it and she was reading the reading and she was serious. I said, “All is well? Is it normal?”

From Right: Dr Daniela and her colleague doctor

She was serious and said, “It is not normal.” Meri toa fat… After few moments, she started laughing. She said, “You were dancing so blood pressure might have shot up. Let us wait for ten minutes and do it again.” Daniela taught me Chilean traditional dance and showed some you tube videos. After ten minutes, she checked again and gave me readings. I sent to my doctor in India and she said it is perfectly right.

I was working on my blog till late night. Next morning, I was in bed when Daniela left for her morning shift in hospital. I waived my hand through window to say bye. And I cursed myself for sleeping late (6.45am). I could not see her last time before I leave. Not sure, we would meet again in rest of live.

Daniela’s mother has come to drop me at bus stop.

I got up and got fresh. Her mother has cooked breakfast for me. I chose to take only bread toast with me. Her mother dropped me to bus stop.

I bed down to touch her feet, all local people watching at me. I touched her feet and she hugged me. She was saying something in Spanish which I could not understand and then I told her in English, “Thank you very much for your hospitality and see you in India.” For sure, she did not understand English, as I did not Spanish.

Trust me, we do not need language to understand when the heart matches on same frequency.

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Straight from the heart

Any revenue generated through this blog will be donated for the welfare of farmers in Maharashtra, particularly Vidharbha and Marathwada. After completing my journey, I wish to write a book about my observations and experience. Any revenue generated from the book will be donated for the welfare of farmers. Comments are welcome on all my posts